In the late 17th century, with plague ravaging the land, Benedetta Carlini enters the convent in Pescia, Tuscany as a novice. Capable from an early age of performing miracles, Benedetta’s impact on life in the community is immediate and momentous. Director Paul Verhoeven (ELLE, SHOWGIRLS) walks the tightrope between the sacred and profane with this provocative and lurid period piece.
“In an age where most mainstream filmmakers still pull their punches about faith like they’re thinking of running for office someday and may need to court the Evangelical right, it’s refreshing to get a dose of the Dutch trickster’s unambiguous insistence on religious belief as an inherently lunatic, absurd thing.” —Jessica Kiang, The Playlist “Verhoeven once again pushes all the buttons that will titillate, provoke, excite, offend and — a quality he's maintained throughout the decades — mix impudent and outrageous conceits with serious smarts.” —Todd McCarthy, Deadline “...A distinctive continuation of Verhoeven’s obsession with documenting the struggle for power… There is a tangible twinge of hopefulness present in the film: Shackles that are either imposed by individuals or institutions can be broken, even if only by way of speculation and imaginative flourish for a nearly forgotten figure.” —Natalia Keogan, Paste Magazine
